Ghana’s accommodation establishments left about six in every 10 available rooms unoccupied between March and June 2025, as occupied room-nights declined despite the country’s substantial accommodation capacity, data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) show.
The service’s 2025 Accommodation Unit Survey found that about five million room-nights were available each month, but national room occupancy remained around 40%. Occupied room-nights fell from 2.14 million in March to 1.99 million in June, a decline of about 7%.
The national figures, however, mask sharp differences across the industry. Hotels, which accounted for about 70% of available rooms, recorded occupancy of around one-third, while hostels recorded rates of between 92.9% and 96.1%.
Establishments with at least 100 rooms also consistently recorded occupancy above 83%, suggesting that demand varies considerably across accommodation types and sizes.
The differences extend across regions. Central Region’s occupancy rate reached 56.8% in June, while Western Region remained above 50% throughout the four months. Eastern, Bono East and North East regions recorded rates below 25%.
Domestic travellers accounted for the bulk of guests recorded during the period, with monthly numbers ranging from 1.78 million to 1.86 million. Foreign guests numbered between 23,000 and 30,000 monthly but generally stayed longer, averaging three to nine nights, compared with one to two nights for domestic visitors.
Central Region recorded the highest number of domestic guests, while Greater Accra attracted the most foreign visitors and recorded the highest regional revenue per available room.
Room revenue indicators fluctuated over the period. The average daily rate, which measures the average price of an occupied room, rose from GH¢1,018 in March to GH¢1,145 in June. Revenue per available room increased from GH¢425 to GH¢458 over the same period, although it peaked at GH¢464 in April.
The findings could help guide decisions on tourism promotion and investment, with the GSS urging stakeholders to consider differences in regional demand and accommodation performance before expanding capacity.
The survey is Ghana’s first nationally representative monthly exercise covering licensed and unlicensed accommodation establishments.
